Maine to Vote on Program That Would Require Manufacturers Pay for Packaging Recycling Costs

The Maina Board of Environmental Protection is holding a public hearing this week on a new program that would require manufacturers to pay for the cost of recycling their packaging.

"Producers of products, they'll pay a fee based on the packaging they put into the state. That fee will be collected by a stewardship organization that's overseen by the Department." says the Brian Beneski with the Department of Environmental Protection.

The money collected from these fees will go to cities first and then to towns to help offset the cost of recycling programs.

"The funds that don't go directly toward the recycling costs will also be made available to make improvements to the state's recycling infrastructure and also to education outreach efforts to help educate the public on how to recycle and how to recycle in a manner that it reduces contamination in the recycling stream," he says.

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